Cage for ball-bearings.



GOHLKB. GAGE FOR BALL BEARINGS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1911.

1,122,586. Patented Dec 29, 1914.

HE NORRIS PETERS 50., PHOTO-LPN!" WASi- I'VGTQN, r). r

7 y. a. 91/, 5'. 1, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX GOHLKE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

CAGE FOR BALL-BEARINGS.

Application med February 28, 1811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Max GonLnn, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Berlin-Pankow, Florastrasse 5/6, Berlin, German have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Cages for Ball- Bearings, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to cages or spacing devices employed in connection with antifriction hearings to maintain the rolling elements in proper spaced relations, a common form of cage for this purpose embodyin a ring or support equipped with ball ho iding members in the form of fingers adapted to be bent down on the balls and serving to confine them and maintain their spaced relations, while permitting the free rotation of the balls in the cage. When cages of this type are constructed of thin metal, which is desirable for lightness, the downwardly bent fingers are liable, in the action of the bearing to become displaced and in some cases bent upwardly again, thus releasing the balls so that the proper spaced relations of the same win be destroyed.

It is the aim of the present invention to overcome this objection and the invention consists, primarily, in providing the ball confining fingers with longitudinal strengthening or stiffening means, preferably in the form of ribs, by which the fingers Wlll be retained in their bent form on the balls and will effectually resist the tendency to become accidentally displaced.

The invention consists also in the provision of bracin devices for the ball confining fingers, said bracing devices being so (115- posed that they will cooperate with the fingers in resisting their tendency to be displaced from their proper confining relation to the balls.

The invention consists also in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. is a plan view of a portion of a ca e show ng my invention and illustrating the bracing devices for the confining fingers. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 0-0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line d-d of Fi 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the ball holding members and one of the cooperating bracing devices showing the operative relations of the same.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Serial No. 611,438.

Referring to the drawings: The cage comprises a sheet metal supporting ring 1 provided with edge flanges :2, and a series of ball holding members, each consisting of a single piece of sheet metal having a base portion 4 seated on the ring, and opposing upwardly extending lingers 5, adapted to be bent downwardly and inwardly on the balls to confine them, as usual, while permitting their free rotary movement between the fingers. These ball holding members may be secured to the supporting ring in any suitable manner, but I prefer to attach them by bending the opposite edge flanges of the ring down on the side edges of the base portions 4, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, which manner of fastening the members will permit their convenient removal in case of injury.

In order to strengthen the fingers and render them stiff 1 provide the fingers with longitudinally extending strengthening means preferably in the form of llanges 5* on the edges of the fingers, and inwardly extending ribs 5" adjacent the flanges, and further, outwardly extending ribs 5 on the central portion of the fingers. These outwardly extending central ribs 5 present on the inner sides of the fingers, transversely curved surfaces which conform to the curvature of the ball surface, and when the fingers are bent downwardly on the balls the latter are embraced by the fingers both in a direction circumferential of the ring and in directions transversely of the same It is obvious that the detailed form of the ball holding fingers and the manner of securing them to the supporting ring may be variously modified within the knowledge of a skilled mechanic; and so also the longitudinal strengthening means may be in the form of flanges, or ribs, as shown in Fig. 4, the essential feature of the invention in this respect being the provision of longitudinally extending stren thening means for the fingers, which will act to stiffen them and prevent their accidental displacement from the balls.

In order to brace the confining fingers and reinforce them against the tendency to become displaced accidentally, I provide a series of bracing devices 6, which are situated between the adjacent fingers of the adjoining ball holding members, and which serve to prevent the fin ers from bending outwardly from the bals. These bracing devices may be of any proper form or material which will adapt them for the purposes in view, but I prefer to construct them each of a single plate of sheet metal folded on itself at its central portion to produce annpstan'ding fiat Web 6, the ends of the plate being bent outwardly in opposite directions and at right angles, to produce supporting feet 63, which latter are seated enthe ring so that the upstanding \veb \vill bepresented edgevvise to the confining fingers, the ,said feet being fastened to the ring, in any suitable manner, conveniently by bending the edge flanges of the ring down on the edges of the feet. As a result of this co istrnction and arrange ment of the bracing devices, the ball confining fingers vill be effectually held from spreadin out or being displaced from the balls, an the several holding members and interposed; bracing devices, Will give 11111-- tual circumferential support to each other. If desired, tl ie edges of the Web of the bracing device may be, soldered, or Welded to the sidesfiot'ithe fingers Where they bear;

against the. same, but this is not essential to the effective action of the device in properly supporting the fingers. or

It Will be manifest to the skilled mechanic thait the detailsof the several parts may be varior sly, changed and modified without departing from the limits of my lIIVGHiZlOIlLailCl it vill be understood that the invention s not limited to any particular form or "construction of the parts, eX-

cep t in s5 far as suchlimitations are specified in theclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1., A ball holding cage provided With laterally extending ball confining fingers, in combination with bracing devices extending between. and bearing against the adjacent faces of said fingers.

2. A ball holding cage comprising in combination, a'supporting ring, laterally extending ball confining fingers carried by the ring, and bracing devices fixed to the ring and cooperating with the fingers.

3. A ball holding cage comprising a series of pairs of ball confining fingers adapted to be bent downwardly on the balls to confine them, and bracing devices mounted on the ringbetween the pairs of fingers and cooperating with said fingers.

at. A ball holding cage comprising in co1nbination a supporting ring, a series of pairs of ball confining fingers secured to the ring and adapted to be bent downwardly on the balls to confine them, and separate bracing devices secured-t0 the ring between the pairs of ball confining jfingers and cooperating with the said fingers in preventing their displacement from the. balls. 4

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses. I

- MAX GOHLKE. Witnesses: 1 IiENRY HASPER,-

VOLDEMAR HAUPT.

: n rm 11w .1; :v v

v f Copies of thl s patent may be obtained for five cents each, by. addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

